FRESS:

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Flushing Mall is unappreciated as an eating destination. There is a lot going on up in there and it can be intimidating unless you know what to expect and what are the most yummy things to eat out of the many options.

When you walk in there are two staircases on either side, to the right and up the stairs is a little store that sells random food goods from Asian countries. Up the stairs on the left is a store with fun novelty items like a tissue box holder shaped like anime poop.

The inner food court is the main target.

All the way on the right wall is a store front with hand drawn noodles. The make their noodles right in front of you; its a choreographed dance of flour coated precision. The various noodle soups are $4.95 on average. I have enjoyed the duck soups in the past, though now they are offering a "country duck" special that I don't like as much. The noodles are the stand-out component of the soups. Their texture is unique to noodles that are only a few minutes old. The broths are none to shabby themselves, though they benefit from the cilantro on top and the chili sauce on the table.

This stall also sells fresh and frozen dumplings.

Moving forward to the line of stalls against the back wall you will find Szechaun food to the far-right. Dan-dan noodles and other staples are available but I have not yet sampled anything from here.

The ordering system for the middle stalls is rather intimidating because its changes. Sometimes you order from the lady at the front of the dining area and sometimes you order from the different stalls themselves. Just ask, its ok, dont be scared.

Ay Chung food (2nd from the right) has a lot of great options. Do not miss out on the Salt and Pepper squid and Salt and Pepper chicken (numbers 18 and 19) For under $4 each you get a huge serving of tasty fried pieces that are a lot less greasy than you would expect.

To the left, the famous shaved ice station also sells fresh squeezed fruit juices, teas, shakes, and ice cream. The red bean ice cream was delicious but tasted like melon. I like to spoil myself by ordering the fresh squeezed fruit juices; I went with carrot orange this time.

Next door there are pictures of items you can point and order. It appears that soup dumplings are available here but I have not yet tried them.I have gotten a flakey turnip bun here but on our last visit we tried a sesame pancake meat sandwich type thing. We all agreed this had potential but it was not our favorite of the day.

Moving on and skipping past various dumpling stalls, the second to last stall on the left sells crepes and takoyaki. You can guess which I always stop for. Takoyaki has been one of my favorite foods since I first tried them at Otafuku a few years ago. Its worth the wait to get them fresh. It costs about $5 for 6 of them. Other random flavors are available (like curry) but I always get the standard version.

Crisped spheres with mushy octopus flavored filling with a nub of tentacle and pieces of corn covered with mayo, okonamiyaki sauce, seaweed flakes, and dried fish shavings. Can I get an amen?

Do yourself a favor and sit watching the fish shavings undulate while the insides cool down.

The delmanjoo caked are sold in the middle of the mall, I like to ask for a free sample of a broken one.

Stop by the puffed rice cake stand next to it for a great low-fat office snack.

Don't forget, it is a mall! There are two clothing stores on the lower level that often have great sales. Though most of the clothing is hilariously hideous, there are some good finds if you can be patient. I got this fun little half shirt thing at one of them. A beauty shop upstairs sells foot detoxifiers, bento boxes, and containers you didn't realize you needed.A salon on the main floor offers mole removal starting at $5, thats not even a little bit sketchy.

Under the staircase on the left (if you are entering) are massage services as well as cupping. If you are brave enough and into painful back massages, like myself, you may want to check it out. Voice your opinion if it gets too hard, I made the mistake of not doing this and it was pretty painful; the giant round hickys on my back were not so cute during bikini season. I do warn you in advance - this is not a spa experience.

Bathrooms are located on both floors all the way on the left side. Other rando mall shops host children's harp lessons, wedding photographers, Japanese toilets, and bonzai trees, proving the point that this mall has about everything a person could need.

I am so good at eating!

Yes, another jew girl with a food blog. I have been eating and writing about it for as long as I can remember. I started this little blog about where I eat and drink around NYC (and now Philly!) to entertain my mom, dad, sister, and a few close friends... but if you enjoy it too, well that just warms my heart.Contact me at fressagirl@gmail.com

P.S. I love comments!

Update (July 2012) Working on posting the cheap eats I make in my kitchen and other cheap yet classy things. Read my lunch reviews at Midtown Lunch Philadelphia.